As the Upstate’s restaurant roster undergoes frequent changes Rick Erwin Dining Group has not only weathered the sometimes hostile climate but also has plans for future expansion while updating its current seven locations.

With the festival's location between Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, which have similar festivals on a larger scale, the leadership realized after the last festival, held annually in September, it was time to make some changes in order to remain relevant in the regional and national festival scene.